2nd Lead (adds corrections)

Warrant issued for arrest of Nimalarajan murder accused

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 March 2004, 01:04 GMT]
Jaffna Magistrate and Additional District Court Judge R.T.Wignarajah issued an open warrant Thursday for the arrest of Kandasamy Jegatheeswaran, the first accused in Nimalarajan murder case, local Jaffna media reported.

Other suspects in the murder, Palanisamy Viswanathan, David Michael Collins and Karalasingham Sinthupalan were present in the Court when the case was taken up for hearing on Tuesday.

Mr.Jegatheeswaran failed to appear before the Judge.

Since investigations are continuing on another suspect, Balachandran Uthayabavan, the Judge ordered him held in remand toll 27 April, legal sources said.

Gunmen suspected to be members of the paramilitary Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) murdered Nimalarajan, a popular Jaffna journalist who worked for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), at his residence on October 19, 2000.

The main suspect in the journalist’s murder, an EPDP leader known as Napoleon who worked closely with the Sri Lanka Navy in Jaffna, is believed to have left Sri Lanka surreptitiously with the assistance of some powerful sections of the Sri Lankan armed forces.

Chronology: